Detroit Lions headlines: Balanced offense, Grading 2018
Fielding a more balanced offense in 2019 will undoubtedly be a focus of the Detroit Lions this offseason. We’ll talk about that and more in today’s headlines.
Are the Detroit Lions in the midst of a rebuild in 2019, or do they simply need to rebound? You may be surprised by the Lions’ top three positional group grades from last season. And how much does running back Zach Zenner factor into the team’s future?
We’ll discuss those topics and more in today’s version of headlines, highlighting the top new stories from around the web about your Detroit Lions.
Wojo: Lions GM Quinn desperately needs a rebound, not a rebuild – The Detroit Lions
If 2019 is consider a rebuild it is because of second-year head coach Matt Patricia. With arguably a better roster than the ones former head coach Jim Caldwell had during his four-year tenure, the Lions actually performed worse under Patricia.
The former New England Patriots defensive coordinator will continue to churn this roster, which points to more player turnover this offseason. And that means more time for those new faces to acclimate. Hence, rebuild.
Lions 2018 season grades: Weaknesses overwhelm strengths in Patricia’s debut – MLive.com
Prior to 2018, if you ask a Lions’ fan what were the weakest positional groups on the roster, you’d likely hear running back and offensive line often. Now, according to the above article, they are two of Detroit’s strengths. In order to continue that uptrend, the Lions need to continue to add talent to those areas in 2019.
As they do, the offense should start to show a better balance between the pass and run, opening up the playbook while also helping to extend the career of quarterback Matthew Stafford under center.
Here’s how Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia can survive 2019 – Detroit Free Press
For me, it comes down to one word for Patricia in 2019: Win. That’s the bottom line. In fact, anything better than 6-10 could be enough for the second-year head coach to earn himself another season. Obviously, we’d all love to see Patricia take the Lions’ into the playoffs as soon as possible. But at this point, I think Detroit simply must see improvement in the standings as a goal.
O’HARA: Zenner’s season ended on a high note with Lions – DetroitLions.com
Was Zenner’s late season push enough to convince the Lions they can move on from aging veteran running back LeGarrette Blount and proceed with the duo of himself and Kerryon Johnson? I believe so. If not, Blount could be re-signed cheaply for another year as insurance. But Zenner has surely earned a place in the rotation.
Next. Lions 2019 full 7-round mock draft. dark
Bob Quinn: Detroit Lions eyed QB Connor Cook all season – Detroit Free Press
The signing of the former Michigan State star to a reserve/future contract.is certainly not a threat to Stafford’s job in Detroit. But it could be an answer to finding him a solid backup moving forward. Only 25-years old, Cook is now on his fourth NFL team in four years. He has a lot to prove in the coming months in what might be his last chance to stay in the league.